Natalie Portman may have won the Best Actress Oscar for her role in Black Swan but her body double, Sarah Lane, is coming forward with claims that Natalie wasn’t exactly the star that everyone’s making her out to be.
Sarah, a soloist from the American Ballet Theatre, says that she was the one performing of Natalie’s complicated dance moves in the film. She told Entertainment weekly that “of the full body shots, I would say 5 percent are Natalie. All the other shots are me.”
Lane was speaking out in reference to choreographer (and fiancé of Natalie Portman) Benjamin Millepied who told the LA Times that “85 percent of that movie is Natalie.”
Sarah Lane Natalie Portman
vs. 
Sarah fought back, telling the media that Millepied’s comments are only referring to shots that featured “just her face with arms…that doesn’t show the actual dancing.”
A professional dancing with over 22 years of experience, Lane says she was originally told by producer Ari Handel to remain silent about Natalie’s failure to complete the dance moves but has decided to speak out because “it is demeaning to the profession.”
“I’ve been doing this for 22 years,” she says. “Can you become a concert pianist in a year and a half, even if you’re a movie star?”
The filmmakers have just released a statement claiming that Sarah’s accusations are false.
“We were fortunate to have Sarah there to cover the more complicated dance sequences and we have nothing but praise for the hard work she did. However, Natalie herself did most of the dancing featured in the final film.”
So the question is, who’s lying?
It’s Natalie Portman vs. Sarah Lane…Who’s side are you on?
Sarah just wants to steal the spotlight
dancing is a form of non-verbal communication or acting. there was a decided lack of freedom that natalie’s character showed in the beginning. however, the intensity of the dancing that the black swan shows, though reflective of the “freedom” and passion that overtakes natalie’s character, is key to the story. those black swan scenes are pivotal to the story and movie. if that dancing was done by someone else, how can portman really receive the credit for the role? this is not a cut and dry situation.
I didn’t go to see BSwan to see Portman dance, so much as to see her act. Would Lane have gotten the award for the dancing. No. Great dancer? No doubt. Maybe there should be a stand-in award, but there’s not. Sorry Sarah.